INTERNET OF

THINGS
ASSIGNMENT NO 1
(SENSORS & ACTUATORS)

NAME OF THE STUDENT: - Anjumara Ansari

CLASS: - TYIT (B)
ROLL NO: - 72
DATE: -10 JULY 2022
What Is Sensor?
A sensor is a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical
environment. The specific input could be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure, or any one
of a great number of other environmental phenomena. The output is generally a signal that is
converted to human-readable display at the sensor location or transmitted electronically over
a network for reading or further processing. 

Pressure sensors

A pressure sensor is a device for pressure measurement of gases or liquids. Pressure is an

expression of the force required to stop a fluid from expanding, and is usually stated in terms
of force per unit area. A pressure sensor usually acts as a transducer; it generates a signal as a
function of the pressure imposed. For the purposes of this article, such a signal is electrical.

Pressure sensors are used for control and monitoring in thousands of everyday applications.
Pressure sensors can also be used to indirectly measure other variables such as fluid/gas flow,
speed, water level, and altitude. Pressure sensors can alternatively be called pressure
transducers, pressure transmitters, pressure senders, pressure indicators, piezometers and
manometers, among other names.

Pressure sensors can vary drastically in technology, design, performance, application

suitability and cost. A conservative estimate would be that there may be over 50 technologies
and at least 300 companies making pressure sensors worldwide.

There is also a category of pressure sensors that are designed to measure in a dynamic mode
for capturing very high-speed changes in pressure. Example applications for this type of
sensor would be in the measuring of combustion pressure in an engine cylinder or in a gas
turbine. These sensors are commonly manufactured out of piezoelectric materials such as
quartz.
Some pressure sensors are pressure switches, which turn on or off at a particular pressure. For
example, a water pump can be controlled by a pressure switch so that it starts when water is
released from the system, reducing the pressure in a reservoir.

Temperature sensors

 A temperature sensor is a device used to measure temperature. This can be air temperature,
liquid temperature or the temperature of solid matter.
There are different types of temperature sensors available and they each use different
technologies and principles to take the temperature measurement.
Different Types of Temperature Sensor
Thermistors can be very small in size. They consist of a sensing element which can be either
glass or epoxy coated and have 2 wires so they can be connected to an electric circuit. They
measure temperature by measuring the change in resistance of the electric current.
Thermistors are available as either NTC or PTC and are often low cost.
RTDs or Resistance Temperature Detectors work in a similar way to Thermistors and
measure ohmic resistance to measure temperature. They are connected to a circuit in a similar
way to a thermistor but they have a much wider temperature range and can measure extreme
temperatures.
Thermocouples use two conductors, made up of different metals that are joined at the end to
form a junction. When this junction is subjected to heat, a voltage is produced that is directly
proportional to the temperature input. They are highly versatile as different metal
combinations allow for different measurement ranges; however, they lack the fine accuracy
of NTC’s and RTD’s making them the least precise out of the three types
Temperature Probes are a very common and diverse type of temperature sensor. They
consist of either a thermistor, a thermocouple or RTD sensing element and can be finished
with a terminal head. All three types of sensors can be manufactured into a variety of housing
types – stock and bespoke. This allows for enhanced utility, that may span over a multitude of
different environments and media that they encounter.

Vibration sensor
Vibration sensors are piezoelectric accelerometers that sense vibration. They are used for
measuring fluctuating accelerations or speeds or for normal vibration measurement.
Maintenance professionals use the sensors in order to predict the maintenance of the
machinery, to reduce overall costs and increase the performance of the machinery.
Examples of applications where the vibration sensors are used: process control systems,
aerial navigation and underwater-applications. Frequency ranges from 0.2 up to 2500 Hz. The
operating temperature of these sensors is between -50°C and +85°C.

Position sensors

Position sensors are used throughout many industries for applications in motorsport,
agriculture, industrial application etc and are also used in devices which surround us such as
elevators and moving ramps. Position sensors are even used in the special effects department
of films. 

Different types of Position Sensor

There are different types of position sensor; the main types come under the type of movement
they measure; linear or rotary.
Linear position sensors convert linear movements or measurements into output signals for
processing. Linear position sensors are all around us. Linear position sensors use different
types of technology to ensure they are taking measurements in the best way for the
application in hand. 
They can be either contacting or non-contacting; non-contacting linear position sensors are
wear-free and therefore offer a longer life but typically are higher in cost.
Rotary position sensors convert rotary movements into output signals. Like linear position
sensors, rotary position sensors can also be contacting or non-contacting. 

Force sensors

 A Force Sensor is defined as a transducer that converts an input mechanical load, weight,

tension, compression or pressure into an electrical output signal (load cell definition). Force
Sensors are also commonly known as Force Transducer. There are several types of load
cells based on size, geometry and capacity.
By definition, force sensor is a type of transducer, specifically a force transducer. It converts
an input mechanical force such as load, weight, tension, compression or pressure into another
physical variable, in this case, into an electrical output signal that can be measured, converted
and standardized. As the force applied to the force sensor increases, the electrical signal
changes proportionally.
Force Transducers became an essential element in many industries from Automotive, High
precision manufacturing, Aerospace & Defence, Industrial Automation, Medical &
Pharmaceuticals and Robotics where reliable and high precision measurement is paramount.
Most recently, with the advancements in Collaborative Robots (Cobots) and Surgical
Robotics, many novel force measurement applications are emerging.

WHAT ARE ACTUATORS?

An actuator is a device that produces a motion by converting energy and signals going into
the system. The motion it produces can be either rotary or linear. Linear actuators, as the
name implies, produce linear motion. This means that linear actuators can move forward or
backwards on a set linear plane – a set distance they can travel in either direction before they
must stop. Rotary actuators on the other hand produce rotary motion, meaning that the
actuator revolves on a circular plane. Unlike the linear actuator, the rotary actuator is not
limited by a set path, which means it can keep rotating in the same direction for as long as
necessary.

Electric actuators
An electric actuator is a device that can create movement of a load, or an action requiring a
force such as clamping, using an electric motor to create the necessary force.

An electric motor will create rotary motion as the spindle, or rotor, rotates. The motor spindle
is directly coupled to a helical screw, via the drive shaft, which in turn rotates in a ball screw
nut.
As the spindle rotates the ball screw nut is driven forwards, or backwards, along the helical
screw.
A hollow piston rod is attached to the ball screw nut and this creates the linear motion out of,
or into the linear actuator as the motor rotates clockwise or anti-clockwise.

Rotary actuators

A rotary actuator is a pneumatic cylinder used to provide a turning or angular movement,

allowing a stroke in an oscillating motion through a defined angle. They are durable and give
a relatively high force (torque) for size. Rotary actuators simplify a design and can reduce
maintenance issues.
In a rotary actuator the force is applied a distance away from the axis of rotation, causing a
turning movement. There are two basic constructions of a rotary actuator; rotary vane
actuators, and rack and pinion actuators
 Pneumatic actuators

Pneumatic actuators are devices that convert the energy of compressed air or gas into a
mechanical motion that regulates one or more final control elements.

Pneumatic actuators are devices that convert the energy of compressed air or gas into a
mechanical motion that regulates one or more final control elements. They are used as a form
of automation control to reduce mandatory human interaction with a system’s internal
mechanisms, which is particularly beneficial for automatic modulation and emergency
shutdowns.

The motion of a pneumatic actuator may be linear or rotary depending on the device’s design.
Prototypical actuators use an external compressive force, such as compressed air or gas, to
move a piston along the inside of a hollow cylinder and build pressure. This generates a
linear force relative to the piston’s pressure differential multiplied by its surface area, which
is used to move a load along a straight line. So-called linear pressure actuators have been in
service for decades but enhancements in diaphragm design and sealing capabilities have
vastly improved the technology’s efficiency and scope of functionality.

Rotary pneumatic actuators differ from linear designs in that torque is generated as opposed
to a linear motion. This can be accomplished by transferring the linear motion of a piston to a
rotating component, or vice versa.

Hydraulic actuators
Hydraulic Actuator is the type of actuator that utilizes the hydraulic pressure as input in order
to provide excitation to the plant (controlled process) of the control system. The controller
provides the control signal to the actuator that hydraulically applies the equivalent signal to
the plant in order to have the desired output in controlled operations.

The hydraulic systems possess an operating pressure range between 1 to 35

Mechanical actuators

The mechanical actuators are devices that transform the rotary presses movement to the
entrance, in a linear movement in the exit.

The mechanical actuators are applicable for the fields where require linear movements such
as: elevation, translation and linear positioning.

Some of the advantages that offer the mechanical actuators are: high reliability, simplicity of
utilization, minimum manutention, hygiene and precision of positioning; irreversivilidad
according to the model of application and synchronism of movement.
Inside the field of the mechanical actuators exist two types of movement: linear mechanical/
actuators with husillo traslante (series ST, M type1) (B2 type1) and linear mechanical/
actuators with husillo rotante. (Series SR, series M type2) (series BL type2).

PMZ Comatrans, S.A. has the exclusive to offer the 2 possible systems of mechanical
performance: mechanical actuators endless tops and mechanical actuators conical gears.

The range of mechanical actuators besides comprises different series with finishings in
smelting or aluminium, with different formats of fixation.

The technical capacity of the personnel of PMZ Comatrans, S. To it puts of self-evident in the
search of solutions and proposal for all type of application like the mechanical actuators for
solar power.